Austin Texas Real Estate Blog

One of the most frightening of the natural phenomena, the tornado is capable of devastating wind speeds of more than 300 miles per hour and can appear with terrifying suddenness. Most tornadoes contain winds speeds of between 65 and 100 miles per hour. Still, no other weather event can cause quite the destruction and death of a strong tornado and one would be well advised to take tornado watches and warnings very seriously.

Should you hear report of a tornado watch or warning, stay close to a news source for more information. A watch means weather conditions are right for a tornado forming. A warning means that an actual funnel cloud has been sighted by either an eyewitness or weather radar equipment. If you hear a warning, you should be prepared to take cover.

Contrary to popular myths, the underside of a highway overpass is not the best place to take cover from an approaching tornado. The overpass serves as a wind tunnel, effectively increasing the wind speed thereby raising the chance for serious injury or death to anyone who tries to shelter under one.

The safest place from an approaching tornado at home is the corner of a basement, under a strong table or staircase; or a windowless room, such as a bathroom or closet. If caught out in the open, your best chances of survival is in a ditch or culvert, face down, with hands clasped over the back of your neck. If you’re in a vehicle, don’t try to outrun the storm. Leave the vehicle and hit the ditch!

Design Workshop Inc. has taken up permanent residence in a 2,500 square foot space at 801 Congress Avenue a couple of months ago. Seven employees from Denver moved into the space in May 2008, hoping to grow their numbers to over 20 in the next three to five years.

Design Workshop is, according to their home page, ‘an award winning, international landscape architecture, land planning, urban design, and tourism planning firm.’ Combining concerns of environment, economics, art, and community, Design Workshop offers urban planning and affordable housing strategies, feasibility and environmental impact studies, project facilitation between the public, the corporate sector, and the community, as well as a host of other diverse land planning and design services.

Rebecca Leonard, a graduate of Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning, will lead the office. Her focus will be on developing projects for the firm, not only in the state of Texas, but will serve clients nation wide and in the Caribbean as well.

Texas projects by Design Workshop have thus far included master planning and design for the second phase of the Domain project in North Austin, initial planning for Hardy Yards in Houston and Bellaire Sustainable Development in Hurst.

The Domain development is a mixed-used community in Northwest Austin, combining commercial and residential uses in one area. The second phase of the Domain project will cover 27 acres south of the original Domain and plans include a three storey Dillard’s, an 80,000 square foot Dick’s, and an eight screen cinema complex, as well as a 340 room Westin hotel. Construction begins this summer, 2008, with plans for opening in November of 2009.

The Canadian-based company, Qualico Development, has bought up 1,600 acres in Del Valle, south east of the Austin city limits, for a planned community development in this area near the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

It’s not yet known how many units Qualico plans on building, but there is a golf course planned, as well as commercial space. The general manager of Qualico Communities, Glynn Hendry, estimates that the company spent about $19 million on the land. The types of houses will cover a wide range – from those priced for the first time home buyer to those qualified for the higher end prices.

For 60 years, Qualico had concentrated its interests in the western region of Canada – being based in Winnipeg - but they now see an opportunity to expand into the United States. Austin was chosen as a growing city with a great deal of potential for housing and commerce. Austin has weathered the national real estate meltdown fairly well and this Canadian company is convinced it’s got all the makings of a boom market.

The property itself is situated in a prime location. Its proximity to Austin makes it an excellent bedroom community for professionals who work downtown. As gas prices increase, commuters are eying neighborhoods closer to work. The development in Del Valle will raise the real estate value of the area, where homes typically range from $100,000 to $200,000.

Qualico Development isn’t the only Canadian company eyeing the real estate market in the US, either. Carma Developers LP, based in Calgary, announced in 2007 a plan to invest $500 million in a 2,500 acre area near the airport as well. The development is expected to create a community of 30,000 residents and 1 million square feet of commercial space.

What do the United States Investors need as a more clear indicator to continue their business expansion? With Austin as a focal market for impressive growth and expansion, foriegn investors will continue to grow and expand into the United States.

Americans are spending more time outdoors, cooking, socializing, or spending quiet time enjoying the sunshine on the patio or deck. Door systems manufacturers are responding with innovative and stylish products. This article has some tips about choosing the types of door system that will add value and style to your outdoor escape.

In homes requiring conservation of space, sliding or gliding doors are preferred. Where space is not a consideration, French are the ever-popular option. The wider the opening, the better the view and the easier the access to the great outdoors. Jeld-Wen makes door systems that can open whole walls to the outside – up to 48 feet. They also make a two-door system that meets at a 90-degree angle and folds back in an according style, opening up essentially two walls to the outside.

The old-fashioned Dutch door, while not your typical patio door, is an ideal way to open the house to fresh air, yet keep animals and toddlers in check. Dutch doors come in two parts: the upper half operates independently of the bottom half.

The type of glass installed in your patio doors can be important for such concerns as heat transfer, energy efficiency, and sun damage to sensitive carpeting and furniture. Low-e glass keeps damaging sun rays away from furnishings and also helps to prevent heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. Tempered glass with a decorative style allows desired light in while maintaining privacy.  Jeld-Wen manufactures patio doors with their optional ImpactGard glass, which protects against natural and man-made damage.

Adding to the value of these stylish door systems, the vinyl, fiberglass, aluminum materials that go into the manufacture of these doors are lightweight yet durable and are low maintenance.

No, I don’t mean the popular rock band of the 60s, but those doors that are the portals to the rooms and spaces in your home. Whether they are the means of entry to the various rooms with the house or the entrance to the home itself, the type and style of door you choose can make a dramatic impact. The right exterior door will add to curb appeal and a unique and interesting interior door can hook a potential buyer. This site lists a number of stylish, aesthetically pleasing products available that can add class and value to just about any home.

Exterior doors come in all shapes, sizes and styles. Some follow traditional styles, such as sliding patio doors, Therma-Tru main entry doors, and the ever popular French door. But, in addition, the Jeld-Wen window and door manufacturing company offers a dramatic set of folding patio doors that, when closed, form a 90 degree corner and, when opened, slide along an overhead track and fold away, opening the room to the outdoors. Double weatherstripping keeps the elements out.

Garage doors, while necessarily utilitarian, shouldn’t be left out of the equation when curb appeal is considered. Clopay offers its Avante Collection of green friendly lightweight but durable garage doors in clear and bronze tint. The doors have the option of double-wall polycarbonate windows.

The Woodfold company has created a unique collection of folding and according style wood doors for the interior that both enhance and conserve space. Their folding bookcase door is as handsome as it is useful – hiding closet or private space from view, as well has providing space for actual books, knick-knacks and such. The bookcase doors come in oak, cherry or maple finishes.

With the cost of energy spiraling out of control and people becoming more aware of an increasingly toxic and depleted environment, homebuyers are looking at the market with an eye toward houses that meet their criteria of addressing these concerns. And the real estate market is responding to this changing market by emphasizing the advantages of their green-built houses and finding buyers, even in today’s soft market. Green building is coming into the mainstream and those seeking new houses are buying it.

As consumers become more informed about climate change, the possibility of peak oil, rising costs of most forms of energy, the increase in asthma and allergies among children, they’re more open to solutions to these ailments. And green builders answer the call with more expensive but environmentally friendly buildings and houses. Consumers are more than willing to pay the initial extra cost if it means they recoup their costs in energy saving and “feel good factor” in the long run.

Today’s homebuyer wants to lessen their impact on the environment and they’re finding a partner in an increasing number of contractors, architects, and engineers. And, with national organizations like the National Association of Home Builders getting behind such green building programs, it becoming easier to brand these programs, get them into the public eye, and thereby create a familiar household name.

The challenge remains for sales agents, however. As a potential homebuyer asks questions and probes deeper into the technology behind a green built home, it’s easy for a sales person to find themselves out of their league. More and better training is, of course, the simple answer and builders are eagerly spending the time and cost to educate their sales force as it’s proving to reap benefits for both seller and buyer.

Read more here.

It’s often said that first impressions make the most impact on the typical human being, whether it involves a new acquaintance, a perspective employee, or a house. It’s true: the exterior of a house is the factor most often cited as influencing their decision when a potential buyer is looking at properties. There are a number of simple, yet effective ways to enhance the curb appeal of the home on the market and this article lists a number of unique and interesting products designed for just this purpose. Here are a few samples:

There’s no question that a slate roof appeals to most aesthetics, but few home owners are inspired enough to pay for the high cost of installation and maintenance. Atlas Roofing has a solution: StormMaster Slate shingles. They give the beauty of a slate appearance while minimizing the cost and weight of an actual slate roof.

That old reliable manufacturer of secure entry systems, Kwikset, has come out with its SmartSeries line of keyless and “smart key” locking systems. The futuristic SmartScan system features a subdermal fingerprint scan, providing both convenience and security. SmartCode requires a personal identification code for entry and SmartKey allows you the security of re-keying your own lock without having to call a professional locksmith.

Composite materials are becoming more popular as manufacturers get better at mimicking various natural substances. Products that look and feel like wood, stone, ceramics, and even cement, add not just beauty and value to a home’s exterior and decking, but safety as well, because many of these products are fire resistant. Faux stone for home facade and chimney facing, wood composite deck boards, and wood-like vinyl siding are just a few of the products available.

What happens when you get to the point in your life when you realize your home is much too big and you’re ready to move from that 3,000 square foot monster to a more manageable 1,200 square foot townhouse? What do you do with all that stuff you have? Joanne O�Donnell, Chic Home Interiors, has a few good tips for deciding what to keep and what to let go.

The first rule of thumb she cites is if you haven’t touched it, looked at it, or used it in a year, you don’t need it. This is especially true for those packrats who collect mountains of stuff and squirrel it away for years, often forgetting it even exists. If an item is really that badly needed, the downsizer can easily go out and purchase a replacement.

Does your furniture go with your new smaller digs? Does it even fit in your new smaller digs? Different room sizes and configurations will dictate the decision on this one. Make sure, when purchasing new items, that they match the decor and size of the new place.

Family heirlooms, mementoes, photo albums, baby albums, things that are intensely personal and irreplaceable should be set aside and preserved. Putting a “must keep” label on these things helps in letting go of those items that are probably not as significant.

As with the suggestion above, be very clear about what your new home’s decor and theme is. For example, don’t bring along that heavy mahogany dining table if your new place is a light and airy stucco affair.

Lastly, it almost goes without saying that, when packing up the stuff you’ve decided to keep, stay organized. Pack by room and unpacking will be a breeze on the other end of your move.

It’s not a secret that home sales are down and the real estate market is soft these days. But, as far as the benefits of owning property go, not much has changed.

Your average consumer is getting panicky as the news about the real estate market seems to get worse, that the media is broadcasting breathless reports on how the bottom is still a ways away, and that economists are shaking their collective heads at dark days ahead for home sales. This has resulted in many prospective buyers holding back, hoping to see the bottom and get a real deal on a house. Sadly, this attitude not only perpetuates the soft market, but keeps these prospective buyers from enjoying real time benefits to home ownership now.

Real estate is one of the absolute best investments a person can make these days, both in building a credit history and investing in something that will increase in value as time goes on, and will add to a person’s assets as they build equity in the property.

The government contributes heavily to the rewards of owning your own home – in tax benefits for interest payments, private mortgage insurance, low interest loans, homestead exemption and points paid on closing day, among other things. These rewards more than offset any loss the typical home owner may see during a downturn in the market. Historically, real estate has done nothing but rise in value and a house is one of the better savings plans out there today.

So, start looking around. Your ideal investment is out there somewhere!

It used to be that developers of large tract community homes preferred it if they could build a new house in relative secret – keeping the prospective home owner at bay until the new home was complete. In today’s information rich atmosphere, however, this has become increasingly difficult as consumers are more informed and more anxious to have a say in the construction process.

At Town & Country Homes, Brian Murphy, vice president of operations, says they “are encouraging open communication between” buyers and the construction team, which fosters a great feeling of control for the buyer and results in greater customer satisfaction. Home buyers pretty much know what they want and Town & Country Homes provides an interactive experience, from choosing options on their Web site to supervised visits to the construction site so they can see first hand how the building is progressing.

Town & Country is located in the Chicago area and has seen great success building larger homes in the $250,000 to $400,000 range. They also have built townhouses that are selling in the low $160,000 to the upper $170,000 range. The development company is involved in just about every aspect of a building project from market research and land planning to marketing, sales and construction.

It’s not just the home buyers who become involved in the development planning, but the community as a whole can have a say in what sorts of amenities and homes are constructed and how much development is allowed. Town & Country plans to concentrate on smaller, more intimate communities of 200 or so homes rather than the 1,000 unit large tract communities of the past, and are particularly looking to redevelop in the older suburbs and explore urban reclamation.